title: Sexual and relationship intimacy among women with provoked vestibulodynia and their partners: associations with sexual satisfaction, sexual function, and pain self-efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is the most frequent subtype of vulvodynia. Women report negative consequences of PVD on their sexual and romantic relationships. Researchers have recently highlighted the importance of examining interpersonal factors such as intimacy, and of including both women and their partners in study designs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate sexual and relationship intimacy as defined by the Interpersonal Process Model of Intimacy and their associations with sexual satisfaction, sexual function, pain self-efficacy, and pain intensity among women with PVD and their partners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one heterosexual women (M age = 27.38, SD = 6.04) diagnosed with PVD and their partners (M age = 29.37, SD = 7.79) completed measures of sexual and relationship intimacy, sexual satisfaction, sexual function, pain self-efficacy, and pain intensity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dependent measures were the (i) Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale; (ii) Female Sexual Function Index; (iii) Painful Intercourse Self-Efficacy Scale; and (iv) visual analog scale of pain intensity during intercourse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for women's age, women's greater sexual intimacy (β = 0.49, P < 0.001) was associated with women's greater sexual satisfaction and higher pain self-efficacy (β = 0.39, P = 0.001), beyond the effects of partners' sexual intimacy. Also, women's greater sexual intimacy (β = 0.24, P = 0.05) and women's greater relationship intimacy (β = 0.54, P = 0.003) were associated with greater women's sexual function, beyond the effects of partners' sexual and relationship intimacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women's self-reported sexual and relationship intimacy in the couple relationship may promote higher sexual satisfaction, sexual function, and pain self-efficacy, as well as possibly foster greater sexual well-being among women with PVD. The authors discuss implications for the inclusion of emotional and interpersonal aspects of the couple's dynamic in clinical interventions and future research in PVD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. katy.bois@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bois
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: Natalie O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McDuff
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grégoire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019529:Sexuality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D056650:Vulvodynia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Couple; Dyspareunia; Empathy; Intimacy; Pain; Pain Self-Efficacy; Provoked Vestibulodynia; Sexual Function; Sexual Satisfaction